KEEPING YOUR PET SAFE

There have been a spate of missing pets lately, and I’ve found my social media accounts flooded with desperate pleas of pet owners seeking public assistance and offering large sums of money for their beloved pet’s safe return. It is truly heartbreaking, even more so when you see the owners share posts continuously for many months, their pet still not found. It’s easy to blame the owners, accuse them of carelessness, of not loving their pet enough to keep them safe. But the reality is that mistakes happen. Pets are great escape artists - it takes only a split second for a pet to break free and escape. Your escaped pet can easily end up in the hands of breeders or thieves, and in the case of a tiny animal, wind up being killed by a larger animal or getting run over by a vehicle.

Nonetheless, it is important to ALWAYS keep in mind that having a pet is a huge responsibility, and they need to be looked after as you would a human child. You need to constantly be aware of their whereabouts and check on them when things get too quiet. If you are unable to ensure that there is anyone at home with the pet for most of the day, then do your pet - and yourself - a favour and don’t get one. There are a few things that you can do to avoid losing your pet.

Always keep an eye on your pet

Dogs and cats can both be very mischievous and curious. They are easily distracted and will chase whatever they find interesting by scaling walls or creeping between tiny, open spaces. So if you have pets that spend a lot of time outside or have access to your garden space, ensure that there’s no way your pet can leave the property. This means not leaving ladders against walls, fixing a gate with a sizeable gap etc. So make sure you check on your pet as many times as you can - you never know if they’ve managed to escape or have gotten themselves into some trouble.

Microchip your pet

This harmless procedure done by the vet that involves inserting a chip with the owner’s contact information into a pet’s shoulder. While not many pet owners in Sri Lanka consider this option, this could come in handy should the unfortunate event ever occur. There may be a chance your pet’s collar comes off, but the chip will always be there as a great source of identification.

Use a leash

No matter how well trained your dog is, always use a leash. You never know when your dog will encounter something that spooks them, resulting in them running off into the distance. The leash also depends on what your dog breed is and how strong the dog is. A leash must always be loose enough to not suffocate, but tight enough that your pet can’t slip out of it. Leash training is also ideal if you like to take your cat out. Cats especially get spooked easily, and the chances of them escaping can be very high. Start them young and there is a very good chance your cat will take to leash training.

Vehicle safety

There will be a few times when you take your pet in the vehicle with you. You may leave them inside a crate / pet carrier or they may travel freely, seated on your lap, looking out the window or by your feet. Make sure to keep the windows shut far enough so that only a breeze comes in. While it can be cute to see your pet stick his head out the window, it can be dangerous! Your pet might get frightened and jump out, or his paw hits the window “up” button and close on his head. Also, be aware when opening your car door. Your pet will be anxious about you leaving him for even just a moment to come around to the other side, and some pets will try and jump out after you. In addition, when you are driving in and out of your house, ensure someone is watching your pet so they don’t escape or worse - get caught under the tyres of your vehicle. Sounds scary, but you will be surprised how common this is. Cats especially are fond of napping under vehicles and you can easily run over them.

Spay or neuter your pet

This will certainly not be the first thing you think of when looking for ways to keep your pet safe, but it is an important one. A pet who isn’t fixed is anxious to find a partner.’ If your pet wants to get out to join the object of his affections, you can be sure he will do almost anything to get out!

Festive seasons

During festive periods or when the cricket team have won a game, ensure your pet is safely inside your home - people are sure to light firecrackers and the loud sound will certainly frighten your pet. Animals will flee when under pressure and that is the last thing you want happening.

Introduce your pet to your neighbours

If your pet escapes, there’s a chance one of your neighbours will spot it. But if they don’t know the pet is yours, chances are, they won’t do much about it, possibly even assuming the animal is a stray. So when possible, take your pet for walks around the neighbourhood and always say hi to your neighbours if they are around. This way, in the event your pet manages to get away, there’s a huge chance one of your neighbours will see it and bring it back to you.